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Falcon Dam and Powerplants

Under supervision of the International Boundary and Water Commission United States & Mexico

Dam

Location: 80 miles southeast of Laredo, Texas, 30 miles southeast of Zapata, Texas, 150 miles above the mouth of the Rio Grande.

Purpose: Flood control, conservation, and hydroelectric power.

Type: Rolled earth fill embankment.

Constructed by United States and Mexico pursuant to Water Treaty of 1944.

Dedicated October 9, 1953.

Length:

  • U.S. - 10,133 feet
  • Mexico - 16,161 feet
  • Total - 26,294 feet
  • Height - 150 feet above river bed.
  • Crest elevation - 323.0 feet above mean sea level.
  • Maximum width at base - 1,000 feet
  • Width at top - 35 feet

Construction Features of Falcon Dam:

  • Earth fill - 12,600,000 cubic yards
  • Riprap - 360,000 cubic yards
  • Concrete - 282,000 cubic yards
  • Reinforcing steel - 10,300 tons
  • River closure made December 29, 1952
  • Cost: $35,000,0000 U.S. share
  • Construction started December 15, 1950 and completed April 8, 1954
  • First power generated commercially - October 11, 1954
  • U.S. flood control benefits to January 1, 1986 approximately $130 million.

Reservoir

Elevation: 314.2 maximum water surface

  • 306.7 top of normal flood control pool
  • 301.2 top of conservation pool
  • 203.33 lowest water outlet for downstream use.

Storage capacity-1972 survey

  • Superstorage - 801,000 acre feet
  • Flood Control - 509,000 acre feet
  • Conservation & Silt - 2,668,000 acre feet
  • Total - 3,978,000 acre feet

Impoundment of lake began August 25, 1953

Area (top of conservation - elevation 301.2)87,000 acres

Area (maximum elevation of 314.2) 115,400 acres

100 acre feet dead storage below elevation 203.33

Spillway

Crest Elevation - 256.7

Ogee type crest with 6-50' x 50' fixed wheel gates

Crest width at gates - 350 feet

Width at stilling basin - 600 feet

Chute length - 1,300 feet

Discharge capacity - 456,000 cfs at reservoir elevation 314.2

Top of gates elevation - 306.7

Penstocks

United States - 4-13' diameter

Mexico - 1-22' diameter, 4-13' diameter branches

Generators

United States and Mexico - 3-10,500 kW at each plant

Turbines

United States and Mexico - 3-14,750 hp at each plant, Francis type

(Ultimate installation provides for four units in each powerhouse)

Highway distances to the Dam from points in:

United States

  • Austin - 305 miles
  • Brownsville - 130 miles
  • Corpus Christi - 177 miles
  • Laredo - 80 Miles
  • San Antonio - 229 miles
  • Zapata - 30 miles

Mexico

  • Ciudad Victoria - 273 miles
  • Matamoros - 131 miles
  • Monterrey - 96 miles
  • Neuvo Laredo - 76 miles
  • Saltillo - 149 miles

This web page was adapted from a pamphlet prepared by the International Boundry and Water Commission.